A glance at the Wikipedia entry for the 24-year-old clarinetist Andreas Ottensamer makes you rub your eyes. He has attained a remarkable curriculum vitae, beginning with his appointment as principal clarinetist of the Berlin Phil. and his acceptance at Harvard. His father and older brother are both principal clarinetists with the Vienna Phil. (the family is from upper Austria). Why should such a fantastic tale stop there? Andreas has also won competition first prizes on cello and piano, and he is the first clarinetist to be signed as an exclusive DG artist. One wonders if he glows in the dark.

'One glance at Schubert s trio, and the miserable hustle and bustle of human existence vanishes, the world takes on fresh lustre', wrote Robert Schumann in 1836 of Schubert s Piano Trio D898. He was equally admiring of the Viennese composer s other great trio, D929, notably its funeral march-like Andante con moto, later to achieve cinematic fame in Kubrick s 'Barry Lyndon'. Here three peerless interpreters bring out every nuance of these endlessly fascinating works on their period instruments , including a splendid copy of an 1827 Viennese fortepiano.

Dance Of The Elements - Hidden Stories Vol. 1 (1992). "Dance of the Elements" is Andreas' third release on the excellent German CD label, Musique Intemporelle. The title cut is a very dynamic piece. The atmospheric "Slow Motion" is next, taking you on a trip down a musical river with new and exotic discoveries around each bend. The fourth cut, "Australia," is a haunting blend of Aboriginal samples and ethnic instruments combined with synths to create a wonderful fusion of ancient and high-tech musical influences. The last two cuts, "Nada Brahma" and "Himalaya," insert yet another cultural influence into the album. These cuts feature Andreas on sitar and ethnic percussion, as well as his arsenal of synths…